RiverWeb^SM Water Quality Simulator

About the Simulator

Targeted at the grades 8-12 science and math curriculum, the simulator enables students to explore the dynamic behavior of a variety of indicators of non-point pollution within a hypothetical river system comprised of a number of subwatersheds, each corresponding to a distinct landcover.

Through a dynamic, web-based graphical interface to a computer model running on a remote server, students learn about how the water quality indicators vary over time and in relation to land use and precipitation. They then apply their understandings to evaluate relative benefits and costs of different strategies aimed at mitigating non-point pollution within the watershed.